ORIGIN: Natalie Van Vleck (1901-1981) found the Flanders…read moreNature Center & Land Trust in 1963 (@flandersnaturecenter). This was in effort to preserve the environment she enjoyed as a resident, artist, and environmentalist. LOCATION: Born in NYC, Van Vleck studied at the Art Students League (@aslnyc), and made a studio on the property of the farm her parents had purchased in 1926. The studio currently is the site of a variety of programs offered by the nonprofit, including fittingly art classes! EXPERIENCE: The legacy of Natalie Van Vleck has been sustained and expanded through the nonprofit -- Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust. Quite a few parcels of land around her family's Woodbury farm have been preserved, complemented by programs dedicated to the activities she enjoyed -- art and nature. The Van Vleck Farm and Nature Sanctuary is a destination that is particularly ideal for all ages. The trails are shaded, flat, short, and sprinkled with benches and picnic tables. The center coordinates activities that facilitate or enhance trail activities, including guided walks and letterboxing (a popular treasure hunt activity). A surprisingly large variety of art and nature activities are organized by the non-profit... check out the website (www.flandersnaturecenter.org) to see the latest offerings!

Pancake breakfast is fantastic! Delicious pancakes, sausage, orange juice, and coffee. All served…read morewith a smile! their syrup is outstanding!

This is a beautiful park and playground that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages and abilities…read more There are multiple play structures that allow for kids not to get easily bored. Parking is abundant and adjacent to the playground. Benches and shaded areas align the playground with a covered pavilion within walking distance. Parents of toddlers need to watch as some of the older kids/tweens were climbing all over the smaller play structures. Not the fault of the town but not appreciated.

This is a nice park that gets used a lot. They have baseball fields, soccer fields, volleyball…read morecourt, kids playground and a covered picnic pavilion that was donated by the Woodbury Lion's club. Lots of people use the pavilion and grounds for various types of events. I have been there on various occasions for events both large and small. Permission is needed from the Park and Rec department for any group activity so there aren't any conflicts. However, we have run into some of the sports team parents and/or coaches get upset when others want to use it. The skate park mentioned in previous posts got closed down because of equipment failure, kids treating it too harshly and the Parks and recreation department not maintaining it like they should. It also ended up causing issues for neighbors who lived next to it, so it was best to remove it. The swimming area has been shut down for years because of invasive vegetation in the water that was hard to control and deal with. The kids playground was recently redone with money raised by individuals. It was a pricey one for what they got. Not long after it was completed, they had to repair parts of it because of weight and age limits. A good playground should be sturdy. From what I see of it, I see it breaking down again. It doesn't look like it will withstand the winter elements. Despite the few negatives, it is a nice park.

Was a member for a couple of years. The setting is great. The management is lax which leads to…read morearbitrary decisions regarding membership fees and enforcement of rules. As an individual senior, I asked this year for a rate commensurate with that status. After going back and forth with vague interpretation on their part, I was told that the fee for one senior is the same as the fee for two seniors. As a result, I've chosen not to return. The McDomald family, who owns this venue, is tone deaf to suggestions and recommendations from members. They are not ADA compliant. The bathroom stalls in the womens bathroom are so small one's knees hit the door while on the toilet. The attitude of the McDonald family seems to be, "if you don't like it, don't join".

Very nice beach with lifeguards and picnic tables. I enjoyed swimming there this summer. Plenty…read moreof parking. The bathroom could use some renovations. Too small and difficult to change in that small space. Well maintained beachfront.

Great place for a hike. You get a wonderful view from the top of black rock. There's a state run…read morebeach on the lake, plenty of camp sites including cabins, places for picnics and a large ball field.

Came here during the off-season for a quick hike. And I did not disappoint…read more There's a huge campground area and a pavilion during the summer that's open for operational events. There's also a swimming area for the warmer months. There's a wooded area to hike in that leads to the camping area and plenty of bathrooms around during the season when they are open. There are no pets allowed April 1st to October 15th

Cool things I learned from this plaque:…read more 1. Woodbury had a Town Drummer 2. Woodbury was CT's 23rd town 3. It mentioned a "rill" - a word I didn't know, so the good folks at Wikipedia told me " a rill is a shallow channel (no more than a few tens of centimetres deep) cut into soil by the erosive action of flowing water." This is a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background, It's located at the intersection of Main Street South (US 6) and Park Road on a small green. The marker has the same inscription on both sides. One side is in very good condition, the other is starting to show some fading and peeling. The full inscription reads: In 1659 citizens of Stratford purchased from the Pegasset Indians the land, then called Pomperaug Plantation, that is now occupied by Woodbury, Southbury, Roxbury, Bethlehem and parts of Washington, Middlebury and Oxford. It was re-named Woodbury in 1673 and became the twenty-third town of Connecticut. The first congregation was gathered to a church near this marker, and townspeople were called to worship by the town drummer stationed on the rock to the east. The streams of Woodbury provided power for making cutlery and woolen cloth from colonial days through the nineteenth century, but agriculture was the town's main occupation, while forests furnished charcoal for the metal furnaces of neighboring industries. "I love the rocks and rills Thy woods and templed hills." Erected 1976 by Town of Woodbury, Woodbury American Revolution Bicentennial Committee, Connecticut Historical Commission.

I'm somewhat of a history buff. This plaque tells the story of how the town of Woodbury was…read moresettled. I'm originally from Stratford, and many of the names mentioned were familiar to me. In fact, many of the streets in town named after the initial settlers have an analog in Stratford. The plaque is in good shape, and hidden off the road. You can see it briefly as you drive along Rte 6, and you get a better view if you're traveling down Hollow Road, or stop at Woodbury Floral Designs (There's parking along Hollow Road across the street from the shop).

Situated on the corner of Pleasant Street and Route 6 in Woodbury, CT, this little park is often…read moreforgotten by the residents, except at Christmas, when the town's tree is decorated and lit. It's not included in the list of the town's recreational facilities, nor is it one of the popular sites for family picnicking. One of the reasons is the lack of parking, which makes this a great place to walk to from anywhere in town, instead of taking the car. There's a number of benches, some provided by the town, others, built and dedicated by the local Lions in memory of deceased members. The bandstand (NEVER call it a gazebo!) was also built by the Lions in 1986, and is dedicated to the memory of local composer Leroy Anderson. It's popular with local residents as a dog walk area, or as a place to sit and quietly reflect. There are several large trees, and an open space that's great for that quick Frisbee toss. It's also the place with the most advertising signs because of its location along Route 6, and the traffic light that requires cars to stop in front of them. I'm all for green space in any town. I wish this little park would get more use.

This is a nice little area to rest in Woodbury. It is down the road from the Orenaug Park and…read moreHollow Park which could be part of why this area is overlooked when visiting the town. The gazebo and benches make a nice pit stop when walking along the sidewalk of route six. Like many other town greens, there is not much to do and it is not big enough for town wide events, but nice little areas to bring your family for some fresh air on nights and weekends.

The town sign of Middlebury is in an okay location - it's right in front of Town Hall, so if you…read morewant to go see it there are places to park. There were people having some sort of informal gathering in back, but it was quiet so I can't fault the location. If you're on some quest to see the town signs, like I informally am, it helps to map this one out. Otherwise you end up looking for places to turn around while going around the town green. It is a little hard to read if you're doing a drive by, the angle just doesn't work. But it seems to be in good condition and legible up close.

Some historical nuggets:…read more 1- If you think the town's name has something to do with a central location, you'd be right -it's in the middle of three adjoining towns. 2- Revolutionary War troops marched through Middletown on way to the decisive battle at Yorktown, VA 3- The town's first house was built on Breakneck Hill Road. I wonder how and why that street was named? There's got to be one helluva backstory there... This is a 2 sided marker from the CT Historical Commission in the familiar white lettering on a blue background. The same inscription is on both sides. The side facing the street is in very poor condition with streaks and fading. The side facing the building is in much better shape. It's located in front of Town Hall on Whittemore Road. The full inscription reads: The name of the town derives from the central position its meeting house occupies, six miles from three older neighbors, Waterbury, Southbury and Woodbury. Winter ecclesiastical privileges, permitting local church services, were established for West Farms, originally the southwest portion of Waterbury, in 1768. In 1790, West Farms and adjoining portions of Woodbury and South-bury became a distinct ecclesiastical society under the name of Middlebury. The first house in the area was erected by Isaac Bronson before 1702 on Breakneck Hill. During the Revolutionary War, French General Rochambeau and his troops established a camp in the Breakneck Hill section on their march to the final campaign at Yorktown, Virginia. First petition to the General Assembly for independence of Middlebury from Waterbury was made in 1800. After much opposition incorporation was granted in October, 1807. Erected by the Town of Middlebury the Middlebury Historical Society, Inc. and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1976

Great hiking trails. There are around 5 different trails you can hike depending on the time you…read morehave and your hiking fitness. There is also pavilions you can rent for parties, picnic areas you can use for your gatherings, corn hole games, volleyball courts and a ball field. Overall great place for escaping the hum drum of the city. Great for nature walks with the kids where you can visit the vernal pools and if lucky see a hawk or an eagle flying in the area above.

Main gates close at 430pm, but the small upper parking lot is still available…read more Beach is closed due to water conditions. Seems like a pretty nice park. We arrived late afternoon, so didn't get to explore a whole lot, but it seemed that there were some trails to explore. There are paved roads and walkways for biking also. Note, there is no power and no open bathrooms since power has not been restored. Only a few (?2) port a potties are available.